Vending and carrier apparatus for store-service.



No. 665,830. Patented Jan. 8, 190i.

J. B. HUBD.

VENDING AND CARRIER APPARATUS FOR STORE SERVICE.

(Application filed June 23, 1900.)

6 Sheets-Sheet I (No Model.)

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No. 665,830. Patented Ian. 8, I901".

' J. B. HUBD.

VENDING ANDTKRRIER APPARATUS FOR STORE-SERVICE.

(Application filed June 25, 1900.)

(No Model.) -6 Sheets-Sheot 2.

II q ll l/m guvemboz I I I a m: NORRIS PETERS ca. PHOTO-M1140"WASHINGTON a. c.

No. 665,830. Patented Ian. 8, l 90l.

J. B. uunu.

VENDING AND CABRIER APPARATUS FOR-STORE SERVICE.

(Application filed June 28, 1900.) (No Model.)

6 Shaets$heet 3 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Ian. 8, 19o|.

J. B. HURD.

(Applintion filed June 28, 1900.)

VENDING AND CARRIER APPARATUS FOR STORE SERVICE.

(No Model.)

clam/"Q 4 No. 665,830. Patented Jan. 8, l90l. J. B. HURD. VENDING ANDCARRIER APPARATUS FOR STORE SERVICE.

(Application filed June 23, 1900.)

- 6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

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No. 665,830. Patented Ian. 8, l90l.

.1. B. HURD. VENDING ANUGARBlE-R APPARATUS FOR STORE SERVICE.

(Application filed June 28, 1900.) (No Model.)

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J UNITED STATES JUDSON B. HURD, OF BROOKLAND, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

VENDING AND CARRIER APPARATUS FOR STORE-SERVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,830, dated January8, 1901. Application filed June 23, 1900- Serial No. 21,330. (No model.)

T0 at whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JUDsoN B. HURD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brookland, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Vending Apparatus forStores, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is aperspective view of an apparatus embodying a preferred form of myinvention, a portion of the partition-wall between the salesroom and theWrapping or stock department being broken away for the purpose of betterillustration; Fig. 2, a vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 4.;Fig. 3, a front elevation of a part of the sample-exhibiting cabinet;Fig. 4, a vertical section on the line 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a detailsection, enlarged, showing the mechanism for registering the purchaseand locking the registering apparatus after the purchase is made andduring the time the order is being tilled. Fig. 5 is a detail view ofone of the slides for discharging the indicating-checks. Fig. 5 is adetail view of a closure-slide for the magazine carried by the cars orcarriers; Fig. 6, a detail view of a modified form of the devices foroperating the check-discharging slides; Fig. 7, a horizontal section onthe line 7 7 of Fig. 4; Fig. 8, a detail bottom view of one of the carsor carriers; Fig. 9, a horizontal sectional view on the line 9 9 of Fig.ft; Figs. 10, 11, and 12, detail views of one of the cableblocks movingthe cars, to and from the delivery-stations in the salesroom; Fig. 13, aplan view of the table or platform on which the cars rest and move, oneof the cars being shown at rest at its delivery-station and the othertwo cars being shown in the act of traveling back to the stock orwrapping room; Fig. 14, a side view of the devices shown in Fig. 13,except that the outermost car 0 is omitted; and Fig. 15, a diagram ofthe cable and its series of slide-blocks.

One object of the invention is, briefly speaking, to provide a simpleapparatus whereby small articles of merchandise may be sold by Sampleand without the aid of the usual clerks, the arrangement being such thatthe customer himself, by the simple act of de positing thepurchase-money in a suitable receptacle adjacent the exhibited sample ofthe article he desires, puts into action suitable mechanism whereby theorder and pu rchasemoney are transmitted to the cashier, located at someremote point in the stockroom or wrapping department, where the articleordered is wrapped and then returned to the customer in the salesroom,together with his change, if there be any.

A further object is to provide means for registering the number ofarticles of each kind sold, and thus keep a check on the cashier andother attendants in the stock department, as more fully hereinafter setforth.

In the apparatus shown and described here in, which embodies probablythe most com- ..plete form of my invention and which I therefor prefer,I employ, first, a carrier apparatus for transporting cars from thevarious delivery-stations in the salesroom to the wrapping or stockdepartment and returning them from this latter department to theirvarious stations, whereby a customer may send to the stock-room an orderand purchase-money for an article of merchandise and in a brief space oftime receive the article ordered properly wrapped,together with anychange that may be due; second, a cabinet whereby the samples or otherrepresentations of the various articles of merchandise offered for salemay be exhibited to enable the purchaser to make choice of the'articles,and, third, mechanism whereby by simply depositing the purchasemoney thecustomer may communicate to the clerk or cashier in the stock-roominformation as to the article he desires and at the same time deliverthe purchase-money to the cashier in the stock-room, whereby theemployment of sales-clerks in the salesroom is avoided and much time andmoney are saved in selling the articles, as more fully hereinafter setforth.

As a further development of the invention I contemplate employing inaddition to the foregoing mechanism simple mechanism for automaticallyregistering the purchases, and thereby keep a strict check againstcheating on the part of the employees, as more fully hereinafter setforth.

In the apparatus shown a suitable platform or table a, is employed forthe support of the series of cars A .B C, said platform extending fromthe stock-room through the partition-wall b, dividing the stock-roomfrom the sales room or department. This platform forms the support orbottom of the sampleexhibiting cabinet 0, which consists of a suitableupright casing divided into a series of pigeonholes or compartments forthe reception of the samples of the articles of merchandise offered forsale. In the present construction an endless cable d is employed, thiscable being'mounted on a pair of driving-pulleys 6, supported underneaththe platform a at the opposite ends and adapted to be driven by anysuitable mechanism. The upper part of this cable runs close to the underside of the platform a, and attached to the cable, each by a pair ofshort postsf, is a series of blocks g, which slide upon the uppersurface of the platform as the cable moves, the platform be ing slottedlongitudinally at h for the reception of the posts f, connecting theblocks to the cable. This slot forms the main way or track of thecarrier mechanism, and the cable and its series of blocks subserve thepurpose of a propelling medium. Diverging from the main slot is a seriesof lateral or branch slots 2', leading to the various stations alongadjacent to the sample-cabinet, there being three of thesedelivery-stations (designated by lettersA B C) in the presentconstruction. These latter slots form the side tracks or ways of thecarrier apparatus.

The cars or carriers consist each of a suitable tray having secured toits under side a pair of strips j, which restupon the table and supportthe car slightly above the surface of the same, and depending from thebottom of each car is a pair of central guide-pins 7a, which arelocated, respectively, near the front and rear sides of the car andwhich work in the slots h and i and serve to guide the car in itsmovements on the table. Pivoted to the under side of each car on the pin76 at the rear of the car is a plate Z, the pivotal point of this platebeing at one of its inner corners, and this plate is actuated by a.spring m, connectingits inner corner, adjacent to the pivot, to anadjacent point of the car bottom, this spring serving to hold the outeror rear end of plate Z normally against a stop-pin n, fastened in thebottom of the car, whereby the plate Z will be held in alinement withthe pins and parallel with the supporting-strips j. Attached to theunder side of each p'latel by means of keepers or loops 0 is a bar p,which has a sliding movement in the keepers 0, this movement beinglongitudinally of the car and parallel with strips j and being limitedby means of stop-pins q, carried by the bar. The rear outer portion ofthe bar 1) is bent down and made slightly resilient, so that it-restslightly upon the surface of the table. The extreme rear end of this baris notched, and near this notched end is fastened an upward-projectingpin 7*.

Each of the blocks 9 is provided with a forward-projectingdownward-inclined nose or scraper s, which moves along close to or Iward.

lightly in contact with the table-surface and is adapted to,automatically pick up the end of one of the bars p the block moves for-Just back of the scraper sand above it is formed a wall 25, whichinclines from one side of the block rearwardly toward and near to theopposite side, the rearmost end of this Wall i being turned directlybackward and terminated at a transverse wall or shoulder to on theblock. At the side of the block adjacent to the rearwardturned end ofthe inclined wall 25 is a vertical shoulder n, which constitutes oneside of a loop to, which embraces the block and is secured rigidlythereto. With this construction it will be observed that as the block gslides along the table-surface the scrapers will pick up the rear end ofbarp (which normally projects rearward from the carrier) and the wall twill guide or swing it to one side and direct the notch in its rear endinto engagement with the vertical shoulder 'u, in which position theharp and its plate will stand at a slightlyoblique angle to the line ofmovement; but owing to the fact that the pivot-pin 7c of the plate Z islocated at one corner of said plate and in the center line of the carthe pushing action will be approximately in the center of the car andsidewise strain on the guide-pins 7c and the track will thereby beavoided. Then when the car reaches its particular side track. and isswitched into the same by the devices hereinafter set forth the car willbe pushed sidewise to its point of rest on the side track by the bar 19,this bar and its plate Zswinging around on the pivot 70 until the platecomes against the stop-pin n and reaches a position at a right angle tothe line of movement of the block, whereupon the notched end of the barwill release itself from the shoulder o of the block. It will beobserved that with this construction, as fully set forth in my formerapplication, Serial No. 734,454, filed October 23, 1899, the car willcome to its point of rest at the end of the side track with agradually-retarded movement, whereby undue shock and noise in deliveringthe cars to their respective stations will be avoided.

As will be observed, the harp at each station drops into a recess 00,formed in the table-surface at each station, so that although the barprojects out into the path of passing cars it will not interfere withtheir free movement. The slight resiliency of the push-bar is sufficientto permit it to thus drop into its recess. As the car is pushed to itsstation on the side track it will be observed that the bar 1) is pushedinward until its rearmost stop q comes against the rearmost loop 0, andalso that one edge of the bar when it comes to rest in the recess 50will bear against the outermost wall of the recess, which is made abruptto form an abutment at a right angle to the main track. The depressionin the table is very slight, it being only necessary to bring the bar 19flush with or a little below the tablesurface, and the wall of thisrecess nearest to the stock-room is beveled downward, so that the barwill move into and out of the recess freely. WVhen it is desired toreturn the cars to the stock-room, the cable is reversed and the blocksmove backward over the table-surface. Each block is provided with aforwardextending hook 11 which is pivoted to the under side of the blocknear its forward end and extends outward beyond one side of the blockand is normally held in the path of the upward-projecting pins 7' on thepusher-bars by means of the coil-spring 2, attached to the upper end ofits pivot a, which extends up through the block g and has the springattached to its upper projecting end.

As will be seen from Figs. 7 and 9, the pins r (which at all timesproject above the tablesurface) are pushed back out of the path of thehooks Y by the act of pushing the cars to their stations, so that untilthe bars are again pushed out the hooks will pass them withoutengagement therewith; but when only one of the bars is pushed out by acustomer, as hereinafter set forth, to the limit of its movement onplate Z the pin carried by that particular bar will be caught by thefirst returning block that passes it and the car will be carried back tothe stock-room. As will be observed from Fig. 13, when the hook engagesone of the pins the hook and the bar both swing on their pivots againstthe action of their respective springs, so as to give as direct a pullas possible to the car and return it with the least possible shock andstrain on the parts. As the car moves from its point of rest toward themain track the barp is first swung to an oblique position with respectto the car, and then as the car approaches the main track this bargradually swings back toward its normal position, so that when the carhas reached the main track the coupling-bar Will lie parallel with theline of movement of the car. Thus the cars will be returned to the maintrack with a gradually accelerated movement, avoiding noise and injuryfrom jar, as more fully set forth in my former application referred tohereinbefore. The release of the hook from pin r takes place in thestockroom when the block is carried down through an openingin the table,the tilting of the block caused by its passing over the cable-pulleylifting the hook out of engagement with the pin 7', leaving the car tobe lifted or pushed to one side by an attendant until the articleordered, together with the customers change,

is deposited in it.

The switch at each station consists of a switch-rail Z), pivoted in arecess at the junction of the main and side tracks and having its free,beveled, or tapered end adapted to restin suitable recesses in therespective side walls of the main slot, as shown, whereby it may beswung across the main slot to direct the car into the side branch, orvice versa. Attached to the lower extended end of the pivot of theswitch-rail is a lateral arnrc,

which is connected bya rod to the lower end of a switch-lever d, pivotedin an adjacent opening in the table, this lever being so located thatits upper part comes close to the sides of the cars adjacent to the sidestations as the cars pass along the main track, as shown in Fig. 13.Attached to each car is a tappet e, which is adapted to strike one ofthe levers (1 when the cars are moving out ward to their stations andthrow the switch and shunt the car into its lateral track, these tappetsall being set at different heights from the table-surface and the leversbeing correspondingly graded as to length, so that each tappet willoperate one particular switch and none other, whereby each car willautomatically select its own station every time it is sent out from thestock-room with the sold package. After the guide-pins on the car passinto the side slot the forward end of the post fof the slide-block thathappens to be propelling the car strikes against a curved cam-arm f,attached to the switch-rail at a point under the table and projectingtoward the stockroom and automatically swings the switchrail across theentrance to the side slot and thus closes the same, the switch-leverbeing by this operation brought to an upright posi tion again. The partsremain in this position until the direction of movement of the cable isreversed and the blocks are caused to return to the stock-room. Then asthe first block that comes along picks up the car and hauls it back inthe manner set forth hereinafter one of the pins in will strike theswitch-rail directly and throw it out across the main slot, and thuspermit the car to pass onto the main track. Then the next succeedingblock on the cable will come in contact with the opposite side of theswitch-rail and throw it back again across the entrance to the sideslot, in which latter position it will remain until the car adapted tothis particular station is returned.

While I may, of course, operate the cable by hand or otherwise in thepractical operation of the apparatus, I propose employinga suitablemotor that will automatically and contin uously operate the cableintermittently in opposite directions, so that on each outgoing movementof the cable such of the cars as are loaded for return to the customersand are placed on the track will be automatically returned to theirrespective stations Without further attention on the part of thebundlewrappers or other attendants in the stockroom, and such of thecars whosecouplingbars are adjusted for engagement with thehauling-hooks will be taken up at regular intervals of short durationand conveyed to the stock-room. But whatever be the motive poweremployed the cable will be intermittently operated in oppositedirections, and I believe the best results employing only a sufficientnumber of the slide-blocks and so spacing them that they are broughtwithin aspace less than one-half the length of the cable, as shown inFig. 15,

will be obtained by so that with each outgoing movement the last blockto leave the stock-room may be carried beyond the last or fartherststation without bringing the first block that left the stock-room backto the starting end of the table, and with each reverse movement of thecable the last block to come in will reach its delivery-point on thetable in the stock-room before the first incoming block has reached theoutermost station, in which manner the liability of reversing the cablebefore all the cars are delivered in going in either direction isentirely avoided. In other words,whatever be the mechanism employed foroperating the cable care must be taken to see that each of the blockspasses all the stations and the delivery-point in the stock-room ingoing both outward and inward. It will be further observed that shouldone of the coupling-bars be pushed out into the path of the hooks ywhile the blocks are on their outgoing trip the beveled noses g of suchof the hooks as have not already passed the particular coupling-bar willstrike against the pin '1" on the coupling-bar, and thereby swing thehook back out of the way against the action of its spring ,2, thefrictional engagement of the coupling-bar with the abrupt wall of therecess a: in which it lies being sufficient to prevent the coupling-barsliding back under the car out of the path of the hooks. Thus after thebars are once adjusted for return they will not be disturbed untilengaged by the ingoing hooks.

The sample-cabinet is divided up into vertical series of smallcompartments h for the reception of the samples of merchandise to beexhibited. The back of the cabinet is closed and its front may also beclosed by suitable glass panes or doors,or left open, as shown, and thearticles may be fastened by cords or chains, this latter plan beingperhaps the most desirable, as it will permit of the handling and closeinspection of the articles by the customers andat the same time preventthe theft of the articles. Each vertical series of compartments isseparated from its neighboring series by vertical partitions i, and atintervals, as shown at 3', these partitions are extended down across thedownward-inclined housing 7c of the base portion of the cabinet, and theseveral series of compartment-s comprised between each two adjacentpartitions jj constitute one stat-ion, there being three stations oftwelve compartments each in the present instance. Each group ofcompartments is located just above one of the stations of the carrierapparatus, so that one car will relate to and serve an entire group ofcompartments, the car A belonging to station A, car B to station B, andcar 0 to station 0, as is obvious. In order that the purchasers mayremove the purchased and wrapped articles from the cars when they arereturned from the stock or store room, the top of the housing or counteris provided with a suitable opening I, coincident with each of thecar-stations.

Adjacent each sample-compartment h is a small outward-swinging door m,which normally closes an opening leading to a vertical money-chute n,built into the cabinet, and all the money-chutes of each station orgroup of compartments converge at theirlower ends into a common spout orchute 0', which tapers downward and terminates just over or within thecar belonging to the particular group. Desirably the spout is curved atits lower end, so as to empty into a money pocket or tray 19, attachedto the rear wall of the car. When a customer has made a choice of thearticles exhibited, he simply opens the door an adjacent the compartmentcontaining the chosen article and drops into chute n the purchase-money,whereupon suitable mechanism will not only adjust the coupling-bar p onthe car fortransmission to the cashier in the stock-room, but will alsodeposit a check in a magazine on the car, which check will not onlyinform the clerk or cashier when the car reaches him what article isdesired, but willalso register the purchase, and thus keep acheck on theemployees. When the attendant receives the car containing the order, heplaces the article desired, properly wrapped, together with thecustomers change, if there be any, in the car, and upon the reversemovement of the cable the car is promptly returned to the properstation, where the customer is awaiting its delivery. The mechanismshown for thus adjusting the coupling devices and registering thetransaction and communicating to the cashier the order will now bedescribed; but I desire it distinctly understood that I may use anymechanism without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Connected to each doorm is a wire g, which passes back through the rearwall of the money-chute over a pulley p, suitably located, and then downto a'cam-lever s, to whose forward-extending free end it is slidablyattached by a collar t, which latter is attached to the lever by meansof a coilspring to. The rear end of the levers is provided with a cam oreccentric part which is embraced by an upright pair of lugs carried by aslide 1; and which is pivotally supported on a horizontal rod 20, sothat an upward pull on wire q will raise the free end of lever 8 andpush rearward slide 1), the spring to permitting a limited movement ofcollar 25' on the lever to avoid injury should the customer open thedoor too wide. The slide 4; works under the lower end of a vertical tube:13, located in the rear Wall of the cabinet and adapted to serve as amagazine for a stack of spherical indicating-checks g, which aregravitatingly supported upon a plate ,2, closing the lower end of themagazine and supporting said slide. The slide is notched at a for thereception of the lowermost checkball, and beyond the tube a: and out ofregister therewith the plate z is provided with an opening through whichthe check-ball drops when the slide is pushed rearward by the opening ofthe money-door. These checkdischarge devices are grouped to correspondwith the groups 01' sample-exhibiting compartments-that is, all thelevers connected to the doors of each of the stations A B O are broughtclose together and pivoted on a single rod w, suitably supported inbrackets c" on the rear wall of the cabinet, and the slides andmagazine-tubes belonging to each group of levers are likewise broughtclose together.

Extending across and in contact with the rear ends of each group ofslides 12 is a bar (Z whose downward-turned ends are pivoted on thelower ends of pendent brackets e attached to the rear wall of thecabinet, and one of the downward-turned ends of the bar is extended toform a leverf whose lower end works through an opening in table a andengages one end of a lever 9 pivoted on the under side of the table andhaving its free end bent upward to work through an opening in the table,this upward-turned end lying and terminating just behind and in contactwith the inner end of the coupling-bar on the car belonging to theadjacent station. With this device it will be observed that theoperation of any one of the check-dropping slides will cause bar d andlevers f and g to push the coupling-bar out rearward to bring its pininto the path of the hooks g of the slide-block, and thus insure thetransmission of the car to the stock-room upon the next inward journeyof the slide-blocks, and when the car is returned to its station, withthe purchased article, the coupling-bar will be pushed against theupturned end of lever g and thus restore the parts to proper positionfor another operation.

As will be seen, the rear wall of each car is extended vertically, sothat when the car is at its station the upper edge of this wall willcome just under the plate z, closing the group of magazine-tubes mbelonging to the particular station, and in this rear wall is built orsecured aseries of vertical magazine-tubes 72. corresponding in numberto the group above and being in vertical alinement with the respectivedischarge-openings b of the upper tubes, so that each upper tube willdischarge into a particular lower tube. The

tubes may be correspondingly numbered and also covered with glass andprovided with graduated marks for convenience in determining withoutmental calculation the number of check-balls in the various tubes, andconsequently the number of articles of each kind sold.

doors on may also be numbered to correspond with their particular tubesfor convenience. Extending across the upper edge of the rear wall of thecar, just below the upper ends of the tubes h is a slide i whichnormally closes the entrances to all the tubes, one of The sample-compartments h and its ends being extended and formed into a springjflwhich bears against one edge of said rear wall, and its other end,which extends slightly beyond the opposite edge of the wall, beingprovided with a stop 10 This slide is provided with notches l in oneedge, corresponding in number to the magazine-tubes. Normally thenotches non-register with the tubes 7L2, so that any checks y which maybe deposited in the tubes by the slides i) will rest on this slide. Inthis way the check will be held separate from the check previouslydeposited until the car reaches the cashier and he notes the articleordered, after which action of its springj far enough to bring thenotches Z into register with the tubes, and thereby drop the supportedcheck in whatever tube it may have been deposited.

The number of articles of any one sort is ascertained by examining thenumber of remaining checks in the upper magazine-tube corresponding withit, the number of checks previously placed in the upper tube having ofcourse been previously noted, and to prevent tampering with the checksin the upper magazine each group of tubes is closed at its top by alock-plate m It will therefore be tubes on the car is not to keep acheck on the attendants, but simply to inform the attendant what articleis desired by the customer and also toconveniently store the checks andprevent them being lost or mislaid. Therefore it is obvious that insteadof dropping the checks into separate tubes they may all be dropped intothe car proper; but in this case they will have to be numbered tocorrespond with the upper magazine-tubes and the sample-holders in orderto communicate to the attendants in the wrapping department the articleordered. Another advantage in using the group of magazine-tubes on thecar is that when it is desired to return the checks to the stationarytubes this may be accomplished conveniently by simply lifting the carsbodily off the table and inverting them over their respective stationarymagazines, taking care that corresponding tubes register with eachother, so that the checks will run back by gravity into the properstationary tubes, whereby all direct handling of the checks is avoided.

To normally hold levers 3 down and keep their connected doors closed, abar n is are ranged to rest on the free ends of each group of thelevers, the ends of the bar being bent rearward and pivoted on shaft andthe resilient pressure on the levers being obtained by a spring 0connecting one of its rearmoney-chutes. To look all the money-doors andconnected devices after an order has been given,(and thereby prevent thecon fusion that would result were an attempt made to give another orderat that particular station before the previous order was lilled,) Iemploy the slide o may be pressed endwise against the noted that theobject in employing magazine.

turned ends to the rear wall of the adjacent a lock device for eachgroup of devices consisting of a pair of pendent bars 10 pivoted to therear wall of the money-chutes at a point above the levers s and keptnormally swung rearward by spring g and each beingprovided about midwayits length on its rear edge with a beveled lug r which is adapted toengage over bar a and prevent it being raised when the bars 13 are freeto move rearward in obedience to their actuating-springs. Pivotallyconnected to the lower free ends of bars 19 is a yoke 3 which projectsrearward and is provided with a projection t which engages a shoulderedblock a on the inner face of the rear wall of the car. This yoke s isloosely supported at its free end by a chain c depending from one of theside arms of the bar n When the car is pushed to its station, block astrikes against the end of projection i and forces and holds back thebars 19 so that their latch-like projections r will be held out ofengagement with bar n Then when an order is given the lifting of bar 71disengages yoke s from block 25, as shown in Fig. 5, and permits thebars 11 to swing out and bring their latch-lugs "r into the path of saidbar 11 so that when this bar a is drawn down after the customer releasesthe money-door by spring 0 it will spring under lugs r and be lockedagainst further movement upward until the car returns and disengages thelugs by engagement with projection t as before.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 instead of swinging doors and wiresI employ a sliding open-bottom money-tray 10 which when pushedinwilhthecustomers purchase-money deposits the money in the money-chuteand operates the cam-levers s by means of rods 90 1 and bell-crank 2 aspring a being employed to keep the money-drawer pushed out. It isobviously within the scope of my invention to employ this orany othersuitable mechanism whereby the customer by the act of depositing hispurchase-money not only gives the order for the article desired, butalso registers the purchase. It is also obvious that various otherchanges in the construction might be made without in the least departingfrom the spirit of the invention, since in its broadest aspect theinvention consists of, first, means for exhibiting samples, names, orother representatives of the articles offered for sale, thereby enablingthe customer to select by sight the desired article; second, meansadjacent each sample exhibited whereby the customer may indicate hischoice of articles to the clerk in the stock-room, which m ay be at aremote point; third, means whereby the purchase-money may be transmittedto the stock-room and the purchased article, together with the customerschange, delivered to the customer at the point of deposit of the moneyin the sales-room; and a further development of the inventioncontemplates the employment of any suitable means for automaticallyregistering each purchase by the act of depositing the money and sendingthe order, this being preferably done by employing a series ofindicating-checks for each sample exhibited and means for releasing ordischarging a check with each purchase and transmitting it, togetherwith the purchase-money, to the cashier in the stock-room, this checkbeing also thereby .utilized as a means of communicating the order tothe attendant in the stock-room, as fully set forth.

As a still further elaboration of my idea, I group the sample-exhibitingcompartments or devices and provide a car or carrier for each group, andin order to avoid numbering the indicating-checks I provide means fortemporarily segregating them on the cars, so that when the cars reachthe stock-room a glance at the check-receiving devices will inform theattendants as to the customers order, and in order to prevent theconfusion that would result if the registering and ordering devices wereoperated while an ordergiven at the same station was being filled Iprovide means for automatically locking those devices during the timeeach order is being filled, as set forth.

It will be understood that wherever I use the term sample I mean it tobe broad enough to cover any symbol or representative of the articleoffered for sale. I also wish it understood that I do not lay claim inthis application to anything claimed in my copending application, SerialNo. 734,454, in which a carrier apparatus somewhat similar to the oneherein shown and described is covered.

It will be observed that although the moneychutes n converge into asingle spout they are kept separate, so that they will depositatdifferent points in the money-tray p, and in order to keep thepurchase-money of the various chutes separate said trayp is divided intoas many receptacles or compartments as there are moneychutes containedin the spout. By thus providing separate pay-receptacles for eachmoney-chute the pay-receptacles may be numbered or otherwise designatedto correspond with the numbers or other designating characters of themoneydoors and sample-holders, whereby these payreceptacles will serveas an additional means of indicating to the attendant in the stockroomthe customers order, one indicating or ordering device serving as acheck upon the other, thereby more surely eliminating errors. Theseseparate pay-receptacles are also advantageous in that they avoidconfusion in case two or more orders are given at the same time, asmight occur at an unusually busy period, as it will be obvious that bykeeping the purchasemoney of the several orders separate the stock-roomclerk can readily determine with which of the sold articles the change,if there be any, is to be returned.

In order to prevent any purchase-money being deposited on the table whenthe car is away from its station, I pivot upon the spout,

IIO

near its discharge end, a valve a which is normally held, by means of aspring 17 under the mouth of the spout and is pushed forward from underthe same by the money-tray p when the car reaches its station, as shownin Fig. 4. This will be especially advantageous in case any of themoney-chute doors m are forced open by a customer or become disconnectedfrom their wires q.

It will be observed that While this apparatus is not a coin-slotvending-machine it is intended to offer the advantages of such machineand, in addition, that of a cash-carrier, a parcel-carrier, acash-register, and a parcelregister, and while it performs the functionsof these different machines it is in some respectsanimprovementon each.Theamount of cash received during the day can be ascertained from themachine, yet it does not depend upon the clerk to register thetransaction, and while it conveys the pay and the change and the parcelsold it requires no clerk at the sales-counter to receive or send them,and at the close of the days business the machine will show not only theamount of goods sold, but also the amount of each particular class ofgoods disposed of. Other machines may automatically sell goods without aclerk at the sales-counter; but the present machine, by combining acarrier apparatus connecting the store-room with the stock-room and aregistering mechanism,is adapted to a much more comprehensive use. Goodsof different prices and in difi'erentsized parcels may be sold at thesame station, and it provides for the sale of goods that are in adistant stock-room and for making change, and it also allows for themoney to be examined before the goods are delivered, thereby avoidingthe imposition of false coins by the customer.

A machine by which the above results may be attained in a satisfactoryway must provide a means for communicating an order to the operator inthe distant stock-room, and this means must be so simple that the mostindifferent customer will need no assistance. My machine meets theserequirements by combining with a carrier apparatus a set ofsample-holders at each customers station to hold and exhibit samples orother representatives of the articles offered for sale and a conveyercorresponding to each sample-holder to communicate between said sample-holder and the main station. The drawings show two sets ofconveyers, one set adapted to convey the register-checks and the otherthe purchasemoney, each set bearing numbers to correspend with numbersborne by the sampleholders and by the articles offered for sale, so thatthe operator can tell by either or both sets of conveyers What articleis ordered.

It will be observed that my invention is broad enough to permit thediscarding of the register mechanism without departing from the scope ofthe claims, and when the registering mechanism is thus left off thetrailerhook y may be arranged to swing out farther from the main track,so that it will engage the pin 1" on the coupling-rod whenever the cableis reversed, and the mechanism which adjusts the coupling-harp forengagement with said hook may be omitted.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a vending apparatus, the combination of means for holding andexhibiting samples of articles of merchandise, a device adjacent eachsample-holder for communicating an order for a duplicate of the articleto a stockroom at a distance, and means for receiving and transmittingthe purchase-money to the stock-room and returning the purchased articleand the customers change, substantially as set forth.

2. In a vending-machine, the combination, of means for holding andexhibiting a series of samples of merchandise, a device adjacent eachsample-holder for communicating an order for the article to a distantpoint, as a stock-room, means for receiving the purchasemoney, and meanswhereby the act of giving the order and depositing the purchase-moneyregisters the purchase, and means for delivering the article ordered atthe place of deposit of the purchase-money.

3. In a vending-machine, the combination, of means for exhibiting aseries of samples of merchandise, a device adjacent each sampleholderfor communicating an order for that particular article to a distantpoint, as a stockroom, means for receiving and transmitting thepurchase-money to a distant point and returning the ordered article tothe place of deposit of the purchase-money, and means whereby the act ofsending the order and depositing the purchase-money registers thepurchase of each article separately.

.4. In a vending-machine, the combination, of a sam ple holder andexhibitor, a device adjacent the same for communicating an order for aduplicate of the article exhibited to adistant point, as a stock-room,means for transmitting the purchase-money to said distant point and forreturning the purchased article to the customer from said distant point,and means for locking said order-communicating devices While an order isbeing filled.

5. In a vending-machine, the combination, of sample holding andexhibiting devices, an order-communicating device adjacent each sampleholder and exhibitor, means for transmitting the purchase-money andreturning the change together with the purchased article, means forregistering each order, and means for locking the registering andordercommunicating devices while each order is being filled.

6. In a vendingmachi.ne, the combination, of a sample-exhibitor, acarrier apparatus adapted to transmit purchase-money and anorderindicating check to a distant stockroom, a device for holdingindicating-checks adjacent to the sample-exhibitor for discharg- IIO inga check into the carrier apparatus with each order, for the purposes setforth.

7. In a vending-machine, a main track, a propelling medium, a series ofcars adapted to be propelled thereby, coupling devices adapted to couplethe cars to the propelling medium, means whereby the cars are adapted toparticular stations along the main track, a group of sample-holdersadjacent each station, devices for depositing order-checks in the cars,and means operated by the orderdepositing devices for adjusting thecoupling devices for engagement with the propelling medium.

8. In a vending-machine, the combination, of a track, a propellingmedium, a car adapted. to said track, coupling devices, means adjacentto said track for exhibiting samples of merchandise, a device adjacenteach sampleexhibitor for depositing an order-check in the car, and meanswhereby the deposit of the order-check adjusts'the coupling devices forengagement with the propelling medium.

9. In a vending-machine, the combination, of a carrier apparatuscomprising a propelling medium, a series of cars, coupling devices, atrack and means whereby the cars are adapted to be delivered at variouspoints along the track, means for exhibiting samples of merchandise,means for communicating an order for any particular article to a distantstock department, to which department the carrier apparatus extends, andmeans whereby the giving of the order adjusts the coupling devices forengagement with the propelling medium.

10. In a store-service or vending machine, the combination, of a carrierapparatus, connecting a salesroom with a stock department, a series ofsample-holders in the salesroom, a series of order-check holderscorresponding in number with said sample-holder, means adjacent eachsample-holder for ejecting a check from its corresponding check-holderand depositing it in the car of the carrier apparatus, and means wherebythe act of depositing the order-check causes the car of the carrierapparatus to be transmitted to the stock-room with the order.

1].. In a vending apparatus, the combination, of a carrier apparatusemploying a car and propelling medium and extending from a salesroom toa stock-room, a group of sampleholders in the salesroom, means adjacenteach sample-holder for depositing purchase-money in the car of thecarrier apparatus, an order-check holder for each sampleholder, meansadjacent each sample-holder for depositing an order-check from itscorresponding check -holder into the car, and means for automaticallylocking all the checkdepositing devices after an order is given and forholding said devices unlocked when the car is at its station awaiting anorder.

12. In a vending apparatus, a carrier apparatus comprised of apropelling medium and a car, said car carrying a series of sepa rateorder-check receivers, a group of sample-holders and a group ofstationary ordercheck holders corresponding in number therewith and withthe check-holders on the car, a device adjacent each sampleholder forejecting an order-check from one of the stationary check-holders intoits corresponding check-holders on the car, substantially as set forth.

13. In a vending apparatus, the combination, of a car and means forpropelling it back and forth between a salesroom and a stockroom, aseries of separate order-check receivers on the car and means fortemporarily segregating each order-check deposited in saidcheck-receivers, a series of stationary ordercheck holders correspondingin number and relation to the check-receivers on the car,sample-exhibitors corresponding in number and relation to thecheck-holders and receivers, and means adjacent each sample-exhibitorfor depositing an order-check from its corresponding check-holder intothe corresponding check-receiver on the car, for the purposes set forth.

14. In a vending apparatus, the combination, of a car and means forpropelling it, said car being provided with a series of separatecheck-receivers, a group of sample-holders, a stationary check-magazine,a device adjacent each sample-holder for ejecting a check from thestationary magazine into the check-receiver on the car correspondingwith the sample desired, for the purpose set forth.

15. In a vending-machine, the combination of a series of money-chutescorresponding to articles of merchandise offered for sale, a car andmeans for propelling the same to and from a distant point, as astock-room, a series of money-receptacles carried by said car andadapted to receive and keep separate the money received from the severalmoneychutes, for the purpose set forth.

16. In a vending-machine, thecoinbination ofa propelling means, a caradapted to be propelled from astore-room to a distant stockroom, saidcar carrying a series of separate money-receptacles, and a series ofseparate order-check receptacles, a series of moneychutes correspondingto and discharging into the separate money-receptacles on the car, meansfor carrying a series of order-checks, and means whereby when an orderfor an article of merchandise is given,an order-check will be depositedin the corresponding ordercheck holder on the car and the purchasemoneywill be deposited in the corresponding money-receptacle of the car, forthe purpose set forth.

17. In a vending-machine, the combination of acar and means forpropelling it back and forth from a store-room to astock-room,apayreceptacle on the car, a money-chute supported adjacent to the carand discharging into said receptacle, a valve normally closing eeassothis money-chute, means whereby the valve is opened when themoney-receptacle is under the money-chute, for the purpose set forth.

18. In a ven ding-machine, the combination of a carrier apparatus havingstations for customers at a cabinet in a salesroom, and a main stationfor the operator at a distant point, as in'an adjoining stock-room, witha set of sample-holders in the salesroom for holding and exhibitingsamples or other representatives of articles for sale, a pay-receptacleadjacent or otherwise related to each sample-holder, and means embracinga series of pay-conveyers corresponding to said payreceptacles and tothe class of articles olfered for sale, each of said pay-conveyers beingadapted to receive the pay for its corresponding article and from itsappropriate receptacle and to convey the pay to the operators station,whereby the customer may order an article by depositing pay for the sameat the deposit point or receptacle adjacent to the sample and the pay beconveyed to the operator and the purchased article and change beforwarded to the customers station.

19. In avending-machine, the combination of a carrier apparatus having apropelling medium, a main way and cars adapted to be propelled thereon,stations for customers along the way, a main station for the operator ata distant point, as in a stock-room, a set or group of sample-holders ateach customers station for holding and exhibiting samples or otherrepresentatives of the articles ofiered for sale, a pay-receptacle ordepositplace adjacent or otherwise directly related to eachsampleho1der, a series of pay-conveyers corresponding to thedeposit-place and to the class of articles for sale, and means by whichthe purchase-money for an article when deposited at its appropriateplace will be received in its appropriate pay-conveyer and be conveyedto the main station and the operator by observing what conveyor bringsthe money be able to tell What article is wanted and at which station itis wanted.

20. In a vending-machine, the combination of a carrier apparatus, havinga propelling medium, a main way and cars adapted to be propelledthereon, subordinate stations for customers along the Way, a mainstation for the operator at a distant point, as a stockroom, a series ofsample-holders at the substations for holding and exhibiting samples orother representatives of the articles of-- fered for sale, means bywhich an order for an article is conveyed from a substation to the mainstation, and a series of initiative parts adapted to be manipulated andto put into action the order-conveying mechanism, one of said partsbeing adjacent or otherwise definitely related to each of saidsample-holders, whereby the customer by manipulating the appropriateinitiative part may cause an order to be conveyed to the main stationfor the article he desires and the article may be sent to him at thesubstation from which the order is sent.

21. In a vending-machine, the combination in a carrier apparatus, havinga propelling medium, a main way and cars adapted to be propelledthereon, subordinate stations for customers along the way, a mainstation for the operator at a distant point, a set of sample-holders ateach substation for holding an exhibiting-sample or other representativeof the articles offered for sale, means by which an order for an articleis conveyed from the substation, to the main station, registeringmechanism by the operation of which it can be learned from the machinehow many orders have been sent, from what station sent and for whatarticles, a series of initiative partswhioh being manipulated will putinto action the order-conveying mechanism and also put into actionregistering mechanism, one of said parts being adjacent or otherwisedefinitely related to each of said sample-holders, whereby the customerby manipulating the appropriate initiative part may cause an order to beconveyed to the main station for the article he desires and at the sametime cause a register of the order to be made.

22. In a vending-machine, the combination of a carrier apparatus,connecting a salesroom and a stock-room, a series of sample-holders inthe salesroom for exhibiting samples or other representatives ofarticles oifered for sale, a series of pay-conveyors each of whichcorresponds by number to a class of articles represented by one of saidsamples, and a pay-deposit place adjacent or otherwise related to eachof said samples, with means embracing a series of initiative parts whichbeing manipulated will operate the recording mechanism, one of saidparts being adjacent or otherwise related to each of said. pay-depositplaces, whereby the customer will manipulate one of said parts as hedeposits the pay for the article he desires and each sale will berecorded as the article is selected and paid for.

23. In a machine for vending a series of articles adapted to connectdistant points, as a salesroom with a stock-room, a carrier apparatusbetween said points, and means for communicating to the stock-room anorder for an article by depositing in the salesroom the purchase-moneyfor such article, said means embracing a separate money-receptaclecorresponding to each article offered for sale and a separate conveyercorresponding to each money-receptacle and its related article.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature, in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 23d day of June, 1900.

JUDSON B. HURD.

Witnesses:

HERBERT 0.,EMERY, WM. R. DAVIS.

